Is Christianity a religion of peace?
“Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.”
This verse, taken from 2nd Thessalonians 3:16, is one of many verses which believers use to profess one of the core messages of the Christian faith: Peace.
“Is Christianity a religion of peace?”
This question is one of depth and breadth. Before I begin, I will be explicating the phrase ‘religion of peace’. A phrase which brings forward several assumptions and tenets. But what is peace to me? It is, to be very exact, a concept of a relationship where parties can live in harmony with one another, without fear of personal harm coming from the other.
The first assumption is that Christianity is a religion whose main aim and tenet is to strive for world peace- and that peace is one of the most central teachings to the religion.
Another tenet of Christianity which would be erroneously inferred from the above phrase is that Christianity is a religion that promises peace. While on the surface the phrase appears to be simplistic and clear, there are many connotations to the phrase which allow for flawed presumptions, presumptions which I will be tackling in this essay.
The chiefly incorrect sentiment here lies in the meaning of the question. Christianity is not of peace, rather, it is a religion of redemption- The Prince of Peace redeeming us from the wrath of his Father, God. It is about our relationship with God which was broken by our worldly sin and through his one son’s ultimate sacrifice, redeeming us to be right with him once again. Now, what did we do to deserve this fight we are doomed to lose?
“The woman saw that the tree’s fruit was good to eat and pleasing to look at. She also saw that it would make a person wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. And he ate it.”[1]
This goes back to the original sin, us being made incomplete without him due to Adam and Eve’s initial temptation and subsequent fall. From this point on, human beings have naturally been at war with God. It represents the start of the fallen nature of all men and women.
As seen from our holy writ, Christianity has already been about the separation between man and God, and state of disharmony between the two parties. We were far from harmonious with him. Indeed, we saw much punishment from disobedience rather than ethereal paradise, bliss living and harmony with him. As you can see, from this early account of humanity’s history, we have lived in a disharmonious relationship with God.
Can we really say that a religion, whose very origins are based in a disharmonious relationship, can be known as an embodiment of peace? Is this relationship of peace? The very definition of peace is challenged from the beginning of Christianity. The original sin is symbolic of many things, however, in this instance, its representative of the disunity and not-so-peaceful origins of the religion. But that’s just the beginning, both figuratively and literally.
Now, many believe that peace is central to the Christian faith. Verily, it revolves around the relationship and how we are trying to seek redemption to repair the brokenness of our lives. A common misconception is that Christianity’s mission here on earth is to turn the unholy world that we live in into a peaceful one. Not true- rather, we are to reconcile ourselves with God- which is very difficult, given that our daily lives is much of us fighting and wanting to forge our own path.
Our indominable fighting spirit, coupled with the wrath of God, leads to one of the longest fought wars. It is believed and preached by the Christian faith that there is an ongoing war. There are two sides- either we are for God or against him, siding with the lies of the devil. Even after we have truly believed and committed our lives to him, the fighting is not finished. Instead, we are instructed to press on, despite all the pain and suffering Christians are bound to receive, and fight the good fight.
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
This verse, taken from 2nd Timothy 2:3, is a message from the Disciple Paul to Timothy, in pleading with him to share in the sufferings, just as a good soldier would. The call to suffer “like a good soldier” is a connotation to the attitude of a well-trained soldier[2]. Soldiers don’t concern themselves with the planning and bigger picture of the situation, rather, they carry out their instruction no matter the cost. In that same vein, that is what Paul is calling Timothy, and by extension, all followers of Christianity, to follow what God says despite all the pain and suffering Christians are expected to suffer. Furthermore, we are told to put on the “armour of God” [3]. This refers to the biblical description of the Christian soldier; wearing the belt of truth, the shield of faith and sword of the spirit, to name a few. All of which represent how we are to be prepared to fight and be ready to challenge and stand up to battle in the name of Christianity.
So, by now you should realise that another way of looking at Christianity is that it is a conflict which will continuously be fought until God comes again and this period of conflict does not so much as bring out any semblance of peace- it is an opposite. This was will continue to last until either we die here on earth or Jesus restores all things. Yet, before all is said and done, he would have fought some battles and return as a conqueror.
It is very prevalent and obvious to any voracious reader of the bible that “peace” is a term which is commonly used. But what does God and Christianity mean when they speak of this “peace”. Is the main aim of Christianity to attain worldly peace? Or perhaps, its about making peace with God? Many think that Christianity as a religion promises of peace.
On the issue of Christianity as a religion that promises peace
That is, as with many things, another misconception, and a bourgeois one at that. Contrary to popular pipe dream, the main outcome and gain that we should aim to achieve through the religion is a healed relationship between God and man. And in doing so, we may find peace in what we want to do with life.
Christianity is not about making a peaceful world by cleansing it of an unholy one. No. It’s a religion that preaches for us to reconcile with him, by whatever means possible. As stated above, it is about the war which will be fought till the day he comes again. And it is this day that we know as Judgement day. Christianity doesn’t necessarily promise peace. It does however, promise a life of eternal damnation should you be unwilling to listen, uproot and turn our fallen lives towards Jesus. And eternal damnation means facing the wrath of God; and all the calamity judgement day will yield for us in the day of reckoning- and that will be none too peaceful.
“Then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name is not written in the book life was thrown into the lake of fire”[4]
A brief description of what judgement day will mean for Christians from Revelations 20:14 does not paint a peaceful picture. Truthfully, this is central to what the Christian faith is about. The day of judgement when we as believers rise to glory alongside him while those who refuse to heed him are thrown into the fiery lakes of hell. It is neither a pretty nor peaceful imagery for those who wish to remain deaf to the bibles warnings.
The use of several words in particular stands out. First and foremost, “death” a word which many of us fail to understand has more to it than the surface meaning. To many, it simply means to pass on, to cease to exist. In the Christian faith however, the use of the word death is a connotation to eternal damnation, anyone condemned to eternal death has been declared the least of all beings and heads towards eternal suffering.
Furthermore, the use of the term Hades is significant. The word has been known in the New Testament to have several meanings, most significant mean, but are not limited to, A place of bodily decay . The final line of the verse is perhaps one of the most profound. It tells us that whose name is not written in the book of life will forever be suffering. The connation of the “book of life”[5] refers to our relationship with God will decide whether we will ascend to eternal life or fall to violent damnation down below.
While not mentioned, the term suffering is a word which many would like to this visage. And it is so mentioned with the phrase “gnashing of teeth” in many theological exploration of the furnace of hell. [6] The word gnashing connotes that there is much pain and suffering being experienced, so bad that the teeth of the being grind together, it represents the unpleasantness of it all and shows the discomforting idea of the Day of Reckoning, where people will be judged, not a day where peoples sins are wiped clean.
As we can tell from the ghastly description of Judgement day, it is none to peaceful by anyone’s standards. Christianity does not promise peace. Not by the standards which we yearn for, or any worldly measure. God doesn’t promise he can end all conflict on earth, stop you from fighting with your parents, halt your feud with your neighbour. He promises suffering for believers till God comes again and eternal perdition for those who don’t listen when he returns.
On the issue of real-world, violent “Christianity”
To be clear, while peace is neither promised nor epitomised by the bible, Christianity cannot and should not be used as a justification to undertake acts of violence. Such has happened before and undoubtedly continue to happen. While scripture calls for us to take up arms, it does not call for us to indiscriminately raze cities and target whole races of colour, just as the Crusaders or the KKK (Ku Klux Klan) have done. Do not delude yourself when listening to those who say Christianity is a violent religion; understand that it is a religion of fixing a broken relationship, none of which justifies uncurbed barbarity.
Christianity cannot be taken as a religion of violence or peace. For it is of neither. It cannot be used to justify atrocities of savage people in history, and neither is it a promise or a religion whose central theme is peace. Understand that peace is in fact a by-product of the religion. The religion is not absent of peace, but its peace can be found in many aspects of what is taught. That much is undeniable.
In conclusion, is Christianity a religion of peace?
Epigrammatically, no. It is not a Religion of peace. However, you could possibly discover peace in eternal life through Jesus. Christianity does not promise us peace by any standards, it is a religion of reconciliation and fixing a broken and fraught relationship with the only people who can give us eternal life; Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, and his father, God.
Bibliography
The Fall of Man: (Genesis 3). New York, New York : Carlton Press, 1975.
Sulloway, Alison G. Essay. In Gerard Manley Hopkins and the Victorian Temper, edited by Keagan Paul, 1–17. New York, Ney York: Columbia Univ. Press, 1972.
Tyra G. Paul’s “Armor of God” Discussion: A Pneumatological Engagement with a Critical Formation Text. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. 2020;13(1):115-131. doi:10.1177/1939790919894555
“Revelation: John’s Apocalyptic Vision.” The Bible: An Introduction, Third Edition, by Jerry L. Sumney, 3rd ed., 1517 Media, Minneapolis, 2021, pp. 389–411. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv17vf4s7.25. Accessed 24 June 2021.
Connolly, R. H. “THE BOOK OF LIFE.” The Journal of Theological Studies, vol. 13, no. 52, 1912, pp. 580–594. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23946905. Accessed 27 June 2021.
Ref. Matthew 13:37
[1] The Fall of Man: (Genesis 3). New York, New York : Carlton Press, 1975.
[2] Sulloway, Alison G. Essay. In Gerard Manley Hopkins and the Victorian Temper, edited by Keagan Paul, 1–17. New York, Ney York: Columbia Univ. Press, 1972.
[3] Tyra G. Paul’s “Armor of God” Discussion: A Pneumatological Engagement with a Critical Formation Text. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. 2020;13(1):115-131. doi:10.1177/1939790919894555
[4] “Revelation: John’s Apocalyptic Vision.” The Bible: An Introduction, Third Edition, by Jerry L. Sumney, 3rd ed., 1517 Media, Minneapolis, 2021, pp. 389–411. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv17vf4s7.25. Accessed 24 June 2021.
[5] Connolly, R. H. “THE BOOK OF LIFE.” The Journal of Theological Studies, vol. 13, no. 52, 1912, pp. 580–594. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23946905. Accessed 27 June 2021.
[6] Ref. Matthew 13:37
